Best eSIM guide · 2026
Philippines eSIM Providers Ranked (2026): Feature Matrix
5 providers scored across coverage, pricing, speed, app quality, and support. All data verified June 2026.
From the matrix
HelloRoam — Top composite rating
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The comparison
Philippines eSIM providers compared
All 5 providers ranked by weighted composite score. Color-coded by value.
| Provider | Rubric score (0-5) | From / GB |
|---|---|---|
 HelloRoamHighest scoreTop composite rating | 4.6 | from $3.50/GB |
 AiraloWidest coverage catalogue | 4.5 | $4.50/GB |
 SailyLeading privacy integration | 4.2 | $3.99/GB |
 HolaflyStrongest unlimited tier | 4.3 | $2.99/day |
 NomadMost competitive per-GB rates | 4.2 | $3.00/GB |
Prices verified June 2026. Equal-weight score: Coverage Breadth 20%, Pricing Tiers 20%, Network Generation 20%, App Features 20%, Support Channels 20%.
Feature matrix
Philippines spec-by-spec breakdown
Every rubric dimension compared side by side.
| Feature | HelloRoam | Airalo | Saily | Holafly | Nomad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating (0-5, our rubric) | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Countries | 186+ | 200+ | 200+ | 160+ | 200+ |
| Starting Price | from $3.50/GB | $4.50/GB | $3.99/GB | $2.99/day | $3.00/GB |
| Per-GB Floor | $3.50 | $4.50 | $3.99 | $2.99/day | $3.00 |
| Founded | 2025 | 2019 | 2023 | 2017 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Singapore | Vilnius, Lithuania | Murcia, Spain | Santa Clara, CA |
| Support | Live chat + WhatsApp + email | Email + in-app chat | Email only | 24/7 chat + email | Email only |
| Guarantee | 180-day refund | 14-day refund | 30-day refund | 180-day refund | 30-day refund |
| Coverage Breadth score20% weight, 0-5 on our rubric | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.9 |
| Pricing Tiers score20% weight, 0-5 on our rubric | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| Network Generation score20% weight, 0-5 on our rubric | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 |
| App Features score20% weight, 0-5 on our rubric | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
| Support Channels score20% weight, 0-5 on our rubric | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 |
| Weighted Composite | 4.64 | 4.45 | 4.20 | 4.35 | 4.15 |
Score breakdown
Philippines provider scores
Weighted composite score across 5 dimensions.
Destination data
What the Philippines rows actually say
1 tracked network, 7 plan tiers, cheapest tracked rate 1.35 per GB.
| Local network | Generations tracked |
|---|---|
| SMART | 5G |
| Days | Plan price | Per day | Off the 1-day rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.01 | $5.01 | 4% |
| 3 | $14.41 | $4.80 | 8% |
| 7 | $33.62 | $4.80 | 8% |
| 14 | $65.04 | $4.65 | 11% |
| 30 | $128.41 | $4.28 | 18% |
Rows come from this comparison's own Philippines country data. The ladder prices one destination only; the composite scores above are provider-level and do not move with it.
Methodology
How we score eSIM providers
Five dimensions, each weighted at 20 percent.
Country count, carrier partnerships, regional bundle availability
Per-GB floor, plan tier spread, value at common data amounts
Carrier routing and which network generations that carrier publishes
Installation flow, data tracking, interface quality
Channel availability and refund policy
All scores are editorial assessments based on verified data. Pricing checked weekly. See our full scoring methodology for details.
HelloRoam -- Highest Composite Score
HelloRoam scores 4.64/5 on our rubric overall, with App 5.0 and Support 5.0, and undercuts every other provider on Philippines pricing, with a 20GB plan working out to $1.35/GB against Nomad's $3.00/GB and Airalo's $4.50/GB. Fixed plans start from $3.50/GB and unlimited from $5, delivered through an iOS and Android app with live chat plus WhatsApp and a 180-day refund. Airalo still leads coverage breadth (4.9 versus HelloRoam's 4.5).
Dimension scores, 0-5 on our rubric
Pros
- 186 countries with 204+ carrier partnerships for reliable local routing
- Fixed plans from $3.50/GB across popular destinations
- Unlimited plans from $5 for short stays, scaling by duration
- iOS and Android app with in-app top-up, add-destination, and usage alerts
- Live chat, WhatsApp, and email support, including real-time channels
- 31+ local currencies supported at checkout
- 63-language interface for non-English travelers
Cons
- Newer brand (launched August 2025) with shorter track record
- 186 countries, behind Airalo's 200+ catalogue
Airalo -- Widest Coverage Catalogue
Airalo posts the matrix-leading Coverage score of 4.9/5 and an App score of 4.7/5, behind HelloRoam's App 5.0, though its $4.50/GB starting rate runs well above HelloRoam's $1.35/GB floor on a 20GB Philippines plan. That gap shows directly on the Pricing dimension, where Airalo scores 4.3 against HelloRoam's 4.4.
Dimension scores, 0-5 on our rubric
Pros
- 200+ countries with the widest coverage breadth in the market
- Regional multi-country bundles (Asialink, Eurolink, Discover Global)
- Automatic in-app install with real-time data tracking and hourly runtime estimates
- Airmoney cashback rewards (5-10% depending on loyalty tier)
- Established brand since 2019 with proven reliability
Cons
- Per-GB pricing higher than budget alternatives
- Unlimited plans available in select markets only, not all 200+ destinations
- No live chat or WhatsApp channel: support runs on email and in-app messaging
Saily -- Best for Privacy
Saily's bundled NordVPN adds WiFi encryption value on the Philippines' slower mall and hotel networks, though it does not offset its $3.99/GB rate running above HelloRoam's $1.35/GB floor for this destination. Its App score of 4.5 trails HelloRoam's 5.0 and Airalo's 4.7, and sits ahead of Nomad's 3.9, the third-highest App score in this five-provider Philippines comparison.
Dimension scores, 0-5 on our rubric
Pros
- Backed by NordVPN parent company Nord Security with proven privacy infrastructure
- Integrated VPN protection included on every plan at no extra cost
- Clean, privacy-focused app with VPN toggle inside the eSIM interface
- 200 countries with strong European coverage
- 30-day refund policy
Cons
- Email-only support with no live chat or WhatsApp for urgent help
- Fixed data plans only; no unlimited daily tier
- 200 countries, just behind Airalo's 200-plus
Holafly -- Best Unlimited Daily Rate
Holafly's Pricing score of 4.5/5 on our rubric with its flat $2.99-a-day unlimited rate, a stronger match for the Philippines' 1.0GB average daily use than for higher-usage destinations elsewhere in this comparison. Its Support score of 4.6 sits behind HelloRoam's 5.0 and ahead of Airalo's 4.15, and backs an 8-day average Philippines trip with 24/7 chat if a profile fails to activate mid-island-hop.
Dimension scores, 0-5 on our rubric
Pros
- Unlimited daily data from $2.99/day with no data caps
- 160+ countries covered including all major destinations
- Simple per-day pricing: know exactly what you pay before you leave
- 180-day refund policy on unused plans
- 24/7 chat support alongside email
Cons
- Speeds reduce after the daily fair use threshold on most plans
- Hotspot tethering limited to 1 GB/day on select destinations
- Not cost-effective for light data users (under 3 GB/trip)
- Fewer countries than Airalo
Nomad -- Best Budget Per-GB Rate
Nomad posts a Pricing score of 4.5/5 on our rubric (Nomad leads Pricing at 4.8/5), and unlike its rates in Egypt or the UAE, its $3.00/GB Philippines price sits inside Nomad's core discounted Southeast Asia market rather than above it. Its Coverage score of 3.9 and Support score of 3.9 both rank lowest among the five providers compared here, the same trade-off that shows up across Nomad's profile elsewhere in this matrix.
Dimension scores, 0-5 on our rubric
Pros
- Competitive pricing starting from $3.00/GB in Southeast Asia
- Simple, fast checkout with no account required in many cases
- Lowest per-GB rates for Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan
- Plans start at a low entry price for short trips
Cons
- Email-only support with no live chat, WhatsApp, or phone channel
- Basic app compared to Airalo and Saily
- 200 countries, behind only Airalo among the five providers
- Limited plan variety in some countries
From the matrix
HelloRoam — Top composite rating
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FAQ
Philippines eSIM questions, answered
Which provider has the best coverage in Philippines?
Which provider has the best coverage in Philippines?
HelloRoam leads the 2026 composite at 4.64/5 in our comparison matrix. Airalo leads coverage breadth at 4.9/5 with a 200+ country footprint, ahead of HelloRoam's Coverage 4.5 and 186 countries. Inside the Philippines every provider routes through the same Globe, Smart, or DITO towers, so app-level routing choice matters less than which islands a trip visits. Palawan's El Nido and Coron stay unreliable regardless of provider.
How do eSIM speeds compare in Philippines?
How do eSIM speeds compare in Philippines?
The Philippines runs 5G in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao only, with 4G everywhere else. Airalo and Saily lead this comparison's Network Generation dimension at 4.4/5 on our 2026 rubric, with Nomad and HelloRoam at 4.3 and Holafly last at 4.2, differences that reflect carrier routing rather than any measurement we ran.
Which eSIM has the cheapest per-GB rate for Philippines?
Which eSIM has the cheapest per-GB rate for Philippines?
HelloRoam's 20GB Philippines plan prices out to $1.35/GB, the lowest rate in this comparison, ahead of Nomad's $3.00/GB and Airalo's $4.50/GB. Globe's own tourist SIM at PHP 599 ($10) for 24GB undercuts every eSIM option here, the trade-off being the SIM Registration Act's passport-and-ID step.
Does the SIM Registration Act affect eSIM users in the Philippines?
Does the SIM Registration Act affect eSIM users in the Philippines?
No. The 2023 SIM Registration Act requires passport and valid ID for local SIM purchases, adding 15 to 20 minutes at the airport. None of the five eSIM providers in this comparison require that registration, since the e-sim activates digitally before or after arrival without a carrier-store visit.
Which provider offers unlimited data for Philippines travel?
Which provider offers unlimited data for Philippines travel?
HelloRoam and Holafly both sell unlimited daily Philippines plans. HelloRoam leads the composite at 4.64/5 on the rubric with unlimited from $5. Holafly leads daily unlimited pricing from $2.99/day. Average daily use of 1.0GB means most travelers on an 8-day trip save more on a fixed-GB plan instead.
Does eSIM coverage in the Philippines reach island-hopping routes?
Does eSIM coverage in the Philippines reach island-hopping routes?
Coverage thins on the boat routes between Palawan, Boracay, and Siargao for every provider in this comparison, since each one routes through the same Globe, Smart, or DITO infrastructure rather than a separate network. No provider in this five-way matrix holds an island-hopping-specific coverage advantage over the others.
Which eSIM app has the highest rating for Philippines travel?
Which eSIM app has the highest rating for Philippines travel?
HelloRoam leads App at 5.0/5 in our comparison matrix, the highest App score in this five-provider comparison, with an iOS and Android app. Airalo follows at 4.7/5 on our rubric, then Saily at 4.5/5 thanks to its built-in VPN toggle. App rating affects data tracking and installation speed at NAIA, not network performance, which Globe and Smart set regardless of provider.
Compare all 5 providers for Philippines
Side-by-side scoring. Plans from $2.99/day to $4.50/GB. Verified June 2026.